winners - State Botanical Garden of Georgia

GEORGIA
G LD
MEDAL
PLANTS
SUMMER ANNUAL
HERBACEOUS PERENNIAL
Wishbone
Flower
Torenia
fournieri,
Torenia hybrid
Variegated
Solomon’s
Seal
Polygonatum
odoratum
‘Variegatum’
full shade/part
shade
full shade/part
shade
2013
Looking for an annual for a shady
spot? Thirsty impatiens are not the
only option. Torenia is a compact
plant with pink, blue, lavender, white,
yellow or bi-color flowers from spring .
until frost. The flowers look like small
trumpets or individual snapdragon
blooms. Inside each bloom are
stamens that form a little ‘wishbone’
pattern, resulting in the common
name. The mounding plant matures
at 6-12” tall and a foot or more wide. No deadheading is
needed on this self-cleaning annual.
Wishbone flower thrives in light to full shade. It is heat
tolerant and can take a variety of soils, but they must be
well-drained. The more heat or sun exposure, the more
moisture Torenia needs – afternoon shade is a must.
Torenia works well as bed edging in front of leggy
plants like deciduous azaleas and elephant ears. Mix
wishbone flowers with tall caladiums in a large planter to
create a colorful focal point in a woodland garden. Let
these spreading plants tumble over a container edge to
bring the flowers up close, where they can be appreciated.
Containers make it easier to provide moist, well-drained
soil for best flowering. Fertilizing will also encourage
bloom display.
Although wishbone flowers are deer-resistant, apply
deer repellent to new installations to stop deer pulling new
plants for a ‘taste-test.’
There are many cultivars available. The Summer Wave
Series is among the best for Georgia’s heat and humidity.
Zones 3-8
Variegated Solomon’s seal is one of
the best perennials for the shade
garden. The boldly striped foliage
brightens any shady spot, contrasting
well with the rich green that often fills
these wooded areas. Individual
arching stems rise about 2’ high. The
green leaves have bold, splashed
stripes of cream. In late spring, lightly
fragrant bell flowers dangle from the
stems. This long-lived perennial
grows by underground rhizomes, creating colonies. For a
quick start, place several plants about 12” apart.
In a few years you will be able to divide the rhizomes
and increase the distribution of Solomon’s seal in your
garden. The foliage turns wheat gold in fall, then disappears for the winter.
Plant variegated Solomon’s seal where it will not see
the afternoon sun. In fact, it thrives in full shade. Although
it prefers moist soils, but is tolerant of dry areas – and we
all know tree roots aren’t shy about claiming their share of
any moisture in the soil. Mulch will help discourage weeds
and conserve soil moisture – plus show off the symphony
of elegant stems. Although this is a Japanese plant, it looks
at home in a naturalized woodland setting. Since it is
resistant to deer, variegated Solomon’s seal will thrive
where variegated hostas cannot.
winners
Take home a Gold Medal Plant . . . and take home a winner!
Georgia Gold Medal Winners are selected each year by the Georgia Plant Selection Committee
in order to promote the production, sale and use of superior ornamental plants. For information on
other Georgia Gold Medal Winners visit www.georgiagoldmedalplants.org.
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EVERGREEN SHRUB
Compact
Gardenias
Gardenia
jasminoides
(G. augusta)
full sun/part
shade
Zones 7-11
Evergreen leaves and sweetly fragrant blooms help to
make this Asian native one of the quintessential landscape
plants of the American South. No Southern garden should
be without a gardenia. Compact new hybrids help make
gardenias easier to incorporate into urban landscapes at
the front of shrub borders.
Gardenia jasminoides ‘Radicans’ matures at 2’-3’ tall
by three feet wide and has been available for several years.
‘Double Mint‘ (3’) Heaven Scent® (4’) and ‘Frost Proof’ (5’)
are examples of smaller gardenias that work as low shrubs,
create evergreen groundcovers or add interest to a container planting.
Gardenia blooms are creamy white and may be double
or single. The foliage is a glossy dark green and benefits
from a location with good air circulation. Water needs are
average, but the roots do need excellent drainage. Plant in
full sun to part shade.
In winter, round seed pods may stand out as ornaments against the deep green foliage, turning from green
to yellow to orange to red. Heaven Scent® is known for
abundant winter fruiting.
GROUNDCOVER
Golden
Sweetflag
Acorus
gramineus
part shade/
shade
Zones 6-10
These bright golden yellow varieties of this grass-like
groundcover can add texture and color as a groundcover
or to a container planting. ‘Ogon’ is 10” high; ‘Minimus Aureus’ matures to create a 3” high mat. Acorus comes from
the Greek word for pupil, since this plant was used to treat
inflammation of the eye.
Acorus is best known as a groundcover, but is also
very useful in container planting. Try combining it with
bright purple pansies, parsley, kale and an azalea for winter or with Torenia and autumn fern in summer.
Golden sweetflag is evergreen, but the foliage can
look tired by the end of winter. You may want to cut
back sweetflag before the new flush of growth in spring.
Sweetflag thrives on the edge of a pond or stream or in
a boggy site and spreads to create a groundcover. Dividing your plants every three years or so will enable you to
enlarge your groundcover planting or share with friends.
The golden foliage works well for brightening dark areas,
contrasting with rich green or burgundy foliage, or filling
between stepping stones. When crushed there is a pleasant
scent which helps to make this plant deer resistant.
Plant in sun to part shade in wet or consistently moist
soil for best effect. Afternoon shade is highly recommended. The leaves can scorch if given full sun without enough
moisture.
NATIVE PLANT
Muhly Grass
Muhlenbergia
capillaris
full sun/light
shade
Zones 6-10
Muhly grass really shines in early fall, when a fine-textured
pink cloud hovers above the green foliage, catching the
breeze and the sunlight. This ‘cloud’ is actually the pink
inflorescence – the flowers of this native grass.
White-flowered cultivars are available, but the traditional soft pink species is most often found in area nurseries. Many improved selections of this lovely native grass
are easy to find. All will age to a tan color and hold on to
those flowering stems through winter.
Cut back as new growth begins to emerge in the
spring. This is also a good time for dividing the clumps.
One mature muhly grass can be divided into many plants,
and placed 18” apart to create a dramatic groundcover.
Muhly grass matures at 3’ tall and wide. You will see
this native grass in many commercial landscapes because
it is the perfect plant for a low-maintenance landscape:
deer-resistant, drought tolerant, fights back weeds, never
needs chemicals, can be massed into a groundcover, adds
fall color and native to Georgia.
The fine texture is an impressive contrast to bold textured hollies, massive evergreens, sculptural tree trunks
– even winding retaining walls. Pink muhly grass is a fun
accent to the burgundy fall foliage of dogwood and many
native shrubs.
Take home a Gold Medal Plant . . .
and take home a winner!
The Georgia Gold Medal program is based at the State
Botanical Garden of Georgia.
Shelly Prescott, Georgia Plant Selection Committee Chair
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia
2450 South Milledge Avenue
Athens, GA 30605
[email protected], phone 706-369-6091